Witchcraft (The Gate Between Worlds)
Welcome to the Qliphothic Realm, (name), an entire dimension of madness, corruption, and decay. We must be about our business quickly or the corrupting influence of this realm may overwhelm us. :- Witchcraft __ToC__ Missions Black is working some powerful magic in that floating citadel to the north. Even here, I can sense him. :- Witchcraft Tutorial Text Entering the Tower :The gates to Luther Black's Citadel are closed to us and can only be opened by Qliphothic Energies. For either of us to hold such energies within ourselves would corrupt us, turning us into abominations like the ones that roam this plain. Instead, I shall create a powerful elemental of chaos, a demon, to store enough Qliphothic energy to unlock Black's sealed tower. :The ritual is dangerous and the summoned demon may react aggressively, so I ask that you assist. Summoning the Demon Key :I shall create a guide and key for you. It will hold a sliver of power from the Kings of Edom, and with it you can enter Black's Citadel. :Beware! It will be bound with sorcery, but its nature is chaos. Like the Kings of Edom, it will have neither loyalty nor conscience. Freeing the Avatars :I have been able to force open the portal leading to the Heart of Man's Dementia. I must remain here and keep the portal open if you want any hope of ever returning. :You must go through the portal and free the avatar of this King of Edom. From what I can sense of Black's magic, it seems he has somehow turned each King's own source of power against them. Removing this source of power will weaken the magical bonds holding the avatar enough that the Demon Key can complete their destruction. :Go, now! Take the Demon Key and free the avatar! What are the Kings of Edom? :The Kings have many names, and many faces. They are ancient and almost elemental evil. They are beyond the reach of any mortal magic: for Black to bind them or to siphon their energy would be impossible. Likewise, their minds are alien and unknowable, and there can be no hope of reasoning or bargaining with them. :Black desires to become one of them, to stand on equal footing with the devourers of worlds. I think he is quite insane, but he may yet destroy our world before he destroys himself. Gaining Strength :The battle of wills between the Demon Key and myself has drained us both. Luckily, there is a solution. :Do you see those bright jets of light in the distance? Those are plumes of pure chaos energy. Escort the demon to them and allow him to feed. You will find he recovers quickly. :Speak to the demon when you are ready to start. :I will remain here and recover my own strength for the coming struggle. Good luck! The Master of All Sorrows :It's good to see you back! I think some of the locals were beginning to get restless. :So you were able to free Dementia's Avatar? Excellent! I think. A reduction of Dementia's power would normally be welcome news, but not if it increases Black's power. :Let me know when you are ready to travel and I will get us to the next tower portal. The Muse of Lethargy and Despair Children? Luther Black has stooped to a new low, even for him. I'm glad you were able to get them all out.'' :We should move on to the portal leading to the Muse of Lethargy and Despair as soon as we can. The local creatures have definitely developed an interest in what we are doing here. :Let me know when you are ready and I will teleport us there. Defend Yourself :''Looks like Black has power over the denizens of this realm. :They are coming to stop us! :Get ready! The Queen Beyond the Pale :Good work. I know of more than one hero who has entered the Muse's domain and never returned. I can only assume they succumbed to the energy-sapping despair and were lost. :Our excursions have definitely attracted the interest of the inhabitants of this realm. I expect a concerted effort to stop us in the future. We need to move quickly. :Let me know when you are rested enough to move to the next portal. Witchcraft :Luther Black's plans to become the Edomite have been halted for now. Thanks all our efforts I believe we can rest a bit easier tonight. Well done, (name). What remains is for us to close this portal. Will you help me with this last task? What is Luther Black doing here? :Long ago, the Kings of Edom had a mighty servant on Earth: Sharna-Gorak the Destroyer. During the Demonflame Incident in 1986, Luther Black stole Sharna-Gorak's power, but his ritual was interrupted and he does not fully control that power. :This is not a natural place; Luther Black must have been shaping this place for years. Look: there are five lesser gates here, one for each King. This entire plain is a mystic circle, and Luther Black is using it in a ritual to harness his Qliphothic powers. :(name), we must not let him succeed! The Avatars of the Kings :Luther Black's ritual is meant to control his Qliphothic powers--powers that were originally given to Sharna-Gorak by the Kings of Edom. :Black's magic can't affect the Kings directly, but he has anchored his magic circle by binding an Avatar of each King--a lesser Qliphothic creature that embodies the King's essence. :Disrupt an Avatar's binding and it will weaken Black's magic circle, as well as allowing the Demon Key I summoned to attune to that King's essence. Category:Characters